How I Became a Fan of Neck Pillows

Uncomfortable, tired, and cranky are feelings no one wants to experience when flying.

Flying as a child, I loved sitting in the middle seat in between my mom and my sister. You may be wondering “why was the middle seat your favorite?” Well, napping and being comfortable on a plane was, and still is a necessity for me. I found that while putting the tray table down and using my sweatshirt was one way to do so, leaning over to my right or left and putting my head on my sister’s or mom’s lap was, for lack of a better term, the lap of luxury. I would be horizontal and comfortable. Needless to say, if I tried this today, with strangers next to me, it would result in some awkward and inappropriate situations.

However, being introduced to a travel pillow changed my flying experience for the better. This iconic U-shaped, soft, travel pillow is essential for me during my travels. Since I am an adult now, I find there are times I travel alone and I still want to be able to nap comfortably, not resorting to resting on the tray table since this becomes uncomfortable quickly.

This summer, I embarked on a 12 hour flight to Israel. Prior to this, I had not used a neck pillow before. My sister insisted that I take hers and try it out, so I took her up on her offer. My first impression was neck pillows were a bit overrated and would not be much help on a plane. After getting to the airport and making my way through security, I found I had three hours before I boarded. I figured I better test out this pillow and see what it’s all about.

The second I had it on, it became my new favorite carry on essential. It was extremely soft and molded around my neck. I found myself using the pillow to take a nice quick nap before boarding. It was a great experience and started to win me over to the idea. Napping at the gate is one thing, but I wondered would the experience be the same once I was above the clouds.

Once we boarded, I made sure that the pillow was secured on my neck and I settled in. Needless to say, I was pleasantly content since I was comfortable the whole flight with my seat reclined and neck pillow on. Looking around, I realized that neck pillows are an extremely popular item for travelers.

Landing back in the United States after my trip to Israel, I wanted to wash the pillow so that it was clean for my next trip. Worried about following what could be complex cleaning instructions, I found that all I had to do was zip off the protective cover and put it in the washing machine! Using the neck pillow for the first time has really opened my eyes to how a simple item can increase the level of comfort on a flight!

No matter the length of your flight, using a neck pillow will change your flight experience, so next time you travel don’t forget your new favorite carry on essential!

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